1. Field of the Invention
Generally, the invention relates to supplemental seats for placement on a bicycle to provide a passenger with a convenient safe place to ride on the bicycle. More specifically, the invention relates to such supplemental seats which place the seat on the bicycle between the existing primary seat of the bicycle and the handle bars of the bicycle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous methods exist to provide a secondary seat on a bicycle for a passenger. The art is rich with devices which place the secondary seat in various locations on the bicycle. These locations include on or in front of the handle bars, behind the primary seat and between the primary seat and the handle bars. Those devices which place the secondary seat on or in front of the handle bars are impractical because they do not provide the operator of the bicycle with the ability to maintain control over the passenger and also tend to diminish the operator""s control over the bicycle. This is particularly true when the passenger is a child. Those device which place the secondary seat behind the primary seat are also impractical because they also do not provide the operator of the bicycle with the ability to maintain control over the passenger. This is even more of a disadvantage when the passenger is a child due to the fact that the child is then positioned beyond the range of view of the operator. Those devices which place the secondary seat between the primary seat and the handle bars provide a better position for the passenger than the other two alternatives. This is a vastly superior placement position when the passenger is a child then are the other two placement alternative.
Those prior art attempts which place the secondary seat between the primary seat and the handle bars have various deficiencies. Some prior art attempts provide for attachment only to the upper tubular bar extending from beneath the primary seat forward toward the handle bars. This arrangement either requires cutting in to the tubular bar or risks having the supplemental seat rotate during usage. Some prior art attempts provide for attachment to both the upper tubular bar and the lower tubular bar positioned beneath the upper tubular bar. This arrangement typically relies upon either opposing narrow width panels or opposing tubular bars which straddle the upper tubular bar and the lower tubular bar. This arrangement provides for too many locations where the passenger may entangle their legs or feet. This is particularly true when the passenger is a child.
As can be seen various attempts have been made to provide for a supplement seat for placement on a bicycle. These attempts have been less efficient than desired. As such, it may be appreciated that there continues to be a need for a supplemental seat device for a bicycle which places the passenger between the operator of the bicycle and the handle bars where the passenger remains within a field of view of the operator while allowing the operator to maintain control over the passenger for a safe and fun riding experience. The present invention substantially fulfills these needs.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of supplemental seats for bicycles, your applicant has devised a supplemental seat device for bicycles. Applicable bicycles have handle bars, a primary seat, an upper tubular bar extending from a position beneath the primary seat to a position beneath the handle bars and a lower tubular bar positioned below the upper tubular bar. The supplemental seat device provides for secure placement of a seat for a passenger on the bicycle between the handle bars and the primary seat. The supplemental seat device has a seat portion, means to contain the supplemental seat device at the upper tubular bar, means to contain the supplemental seat device at the lower tubular bar, means to provide the passenger with a place for their feet and means to secure the supplemental seat device on the bicycle. The seat portion has a contoured area for contact with the passenger.
My invention resides not in any one of these features per se, but rather in the particular combinations of them herein disclosed and it is distinguished from the prior art in these particular combinations of these structures for the functions specified.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide for a supplement seat device which places a seat for a passenger in a safe and convenient location on an existing bicycle between the primary seat and the handle bars of the bicycle.
Other objects include;
a) to provide for opposing side panels of sufficient longitudinal width to provide for a safe area about a child passenger""s feet.
b) to provide for sturdy foot pegs for the child passenger""s feet.
c) to provide for foot pegs for the child passenger""s feet which have end stops which prevent the feet from slipping outward off of the ends and which encourage the child passenger to maintain proper foot placement.
d) to provide for foot pegs for the child passenger""s feet which have ribs therealong which provide a secure placement location for the child passenger""s feet.
e) to provide for placement of a long securing bolt through the foot pegs to reinforce and otherwise strengthen the foot pegs.
f) to provide for a recessing of attachment bolts to eliminate protrusions above the exterior surfaces of the side panels to prevent injury to passengers of the bicycle.
g) to provide for opposing side panels which extend substantially an entire length of the seat portion adjacent the seat portion.
h) to provide for a molded unit which has no moving parts following installation.
i) to provide for easy adjustment of a spacial placement of the supplemental seat device on the bicycle relative to the handle bars where a comfortable placement of the passenger""s hands on the handle bars may readily occur.
j) to provide for a relatively narrow seat portion where the operator of the bicycle is not unduly inconvenienced during pedaling of the bicycle particularly when the supplemental seat device is not occupied by a passenger.